Profile: Who is Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar?

The new caretaker prime minister of Pakistan, Senator Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar is a political figure from Balochistan.

Kakar was elected to the Senate in 2018 and has been a very active politician from Balochistan. He has also served as the spokesperson of the provincial government prior to his election to the upper house.

“Though he has been involved in politics, Kakar is widely regarded as a great intellectual in the country,” senior anchorperson Hamid Mir told Geo News.

Mir said that the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) lawmaker is from the Kakar tribe of Pashtun ethnicity, so he represents both Pashtuns and Balochs.

“The senator also enjoys good ties with the mainstream political parties including PML-N and PPP.”

The lawmaker was selected as the 8th interim head of the government, a statement from the Prime Minister's Office said Saturday.

The decision came after a second round of consultations between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Raja Riaz, and a summary to this effect has been approved by President Arif Alvi.

It may be noted that both the PML-N and PPP had been saying that a politician could also be selected for the coveted post.

The political parties part of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) alliance had emphasised the need for the continuation of economic policies during the transition of power and projects initiated by outgoing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Moreover, the Kakar and his party, both had good ties with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) during its government and he was among the people who former prime minister Imran Khan consulted on the matters of Balochistan.

For that reason, BAP often faced criticism from PML-N for that reason,

However, when the party changed sides, it faced criticism from PTI. 

Founding member of BAP

The newly-appointed caretaker premier was born in 1971 in Muslim Bagh, area of Killa Saifullah district of Balochistan.

He received his primary education from St. Francis School, Quetta and later enrolled in Cadet College Kohat but returned to the Balochistan provincial capital after his father's demise.

The senator has done a Master's in political science and sociology from University of Balochistan.

Senator Kakar started his career by teaching in a school in his native town.

He is also one of the founding members of BAP and was appointed as the central spokesperson of the party in 2018.

The caretaker PM-designate is also the chairman of Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis.

He contested the election for the National Assembly seat from Quetta on PML-Q ticket in 2008.